The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center: Rome, Italy, and Rakin’s Story

In April, The Rev. Heather Melton, UTO Missioner, Kayla Massey, our UTO Intern, and Board president Dr. Sandra Squires, went to Europe in part to witness UTO’s work related to refugees. These two videos: The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center: Rome, Italy, and Rakin’s Story were filmed during that visit. We share them here to see the impact of your donations and the impact of grants from the United Thank Offering.

In late 2015, UTO set aside $30,000 to Episcopal Migration Ministries and issued a challenge to The Episcopal Church. You responded, and within 6 weeks UTO received almost $60,000, making our 2016 gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries $89,054 for work with refugees in the United States. That recently issued grant will staff and provide office furnishings for two new EMM offices: Charleston, West Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina, and will provide support staff to all EMM offices and a resource library to address mental health issues among refugees.

Watch the videos and learn about the work of United Thank Offering in the area of helping refugees in Rome.